DownpickinG

Discussion in 'Guitar Lessons, Tutorials & Tips' started by Chikoo2010, Jul 29, 2012.

  1. Chikoo2010

    Chikoo2010 New Member

    tsup everyone....

    only recently did i know that in more than 90% of Metallica songs, the rhythm guitar is down-picked continuously ...n its damn fvckin hard....

    so..........

    is there any down-picking beast in this forum who can teach me/post a video for everyone to learn how to down-pick fast.....
     
  2. rickkkyrich

    rickkkyrich Guest

    I think you just have to practice.
     
  3. tirtha2chester

    tirtha2chester New Member

    The downpicking is basically done to complement the palm mute in the rhythm guitar... The notes that are picked down are choked and would sound different if alternate picking is done over the same notes...

    Downpicking is a very common technique in thrash metal and djent... It takes a little bit of a practice and isn't too difficult at all...

    You can try the Lick Library Andy James' Metal Rhythm Guitar in 6 Weeks... These kinda techniques are very well explained and illustrated there very well...
     
  4. Chikoo2010

    Chikoo2010 New Member

    thanks rickkkyrich and tirtha2chester.......i practiced down-picking for two days....i could play master of puppets at 80% the original speed....but then suddenly today i couldn't play consistently even at 50% speed....

    and this is regarding the sound part....the guitar should be palm muted right.....but it dosent sound good.....i believe i'm doing it the right way.....the palm resting on the bridge, touching the strings slightly....
     
  5. tirtha2chester

    tirtha2chester New Member

    Happens... You get the hang of things and then lose track the very next day - Quite common...

    The thing is why most people fail to do the palm mute is because of their picking technique... They align their wrist 90 degrees to the strings, and parallel to the bridge, kinda like Satch in this picture..
    https://neo1984.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/joe_satriani_2005.jpg

    You can see how the bridge is completely exposed and the picking wrist is aligned with it... Though this technique is very helpful in playing fast shred solos and lead parts and give you a better harmonicking ability, it compromises your ability to palm mute and choke your Low E and A strings and so on.... You will have a hard time doing down picking if you follow this technique...

    Now here's a picking technique that comes very handy if you wanna do both rhythm and lead parts... Take a look at these couple of pics....

    https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7VNiRG84mIY/ThOfgFOr8oI/AAAAAAAAQDk/8FFLu3wtFBM/DSC02237.jpg

    https://thedaytripperblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/john-petrucci.jpg

    You can see that both their wrists are angled and a the upper part of it rest beside or on the bridge... That's how palm muting when done, is the easiest... You have to brace your left side of the wrist softly against the bridge....If you want to increase the intensity of the mute, go a bit closer to the pickup... If you want to decrease it, go a bit closer to the bridge...

    https://www.fretjam.com/images/pmphoto.jpg
     
  6. tirtha2chester

    tirtha2chester New Member

    Download this video tutorial.. Should be invaluable to you... Excellent tutorial for metal rhythm....

    .....https://goo.gl/P551m....
     
  7. Chikoo2010

    Chikoo2010 New Member

    thanks again t2c.....i'll take a look at the video and post again....
     
  8. Chikoo2010

    Chikoo2010 New Member

    thanks again t2c for the link....i checked it out.....it was good.....at least i'm able to play the fast riffs(with some cramps).....palm mute stilll sucks.....

    or does anyone think there is a problem with my rig????its a bc rich warbeast through a g2nu and out through a comp speakers(still dint get a good deal on an amp)

    i am barely to play master of puppets at 100% speed now....but i am able to...just that its very inconsistent.....and needs to be done after hours of play(warmup)......
     
  9. tirtha2chester

    tirtha2chester New Member

    Glad the videos helped...

    You just gotta keep patience and keep practicing... One fine day, you shall find it effortless to do...
     
  10. Chikoo2010

    Chikoo2010 New Member

    ok....i'm back again....

    good news.....i've mastered master of puppets....
    bad news....i can play it completely only once a day.....

    and my elbows hurt bad after playing but the pain wears away soon.....no pain in my wrists but it wont move as fast as it did before playing(atleast for a 6 hours)....

    do i need to train ma wrists with dumbbells or something?????i mean...how much can i practice????i try ma best to practice in chunks and pieces.....not just master....some Metallica and iron maiden rhythm downpicked....

    really....its getting a bit frustrating now.....
     
  11. guitarplayer729

    guitarplayer729 New Member

    Don't try practicing to the limit.
    Practice simple riffs and gain speed in them. Then move to complex parts.
    Also don't bite your teeth while playing fast rhythms and don't stress and keep breathing.
    Better than master of puppets, try Creeping Death.
     
  12. tirtha2chester

    tirtha2chester New Member

    Also do try the Megadeth tornado Of Souls Rhythym portion... its simpler and damn fun to learn and play...
     
  13. Chikoo2010

    Chikoo2010 New Member

    thanks to everyone who replied.....
    i can now play rhythm guitar for master of puppets easily at full speed downpicked....and at 120% speed(with difficulty) but with the second riff 0:21 - 0:48 alternate picked....coz u need to bounce between strings....

    guitarplayer729 : relaxing myself did help ie relaxing hand n not grinding my teeth.....
    but what i did was...i sped up the song to 120%.....n then tried playing along....(like John Petrucci said in rock discipline...to kill yourself ie speed up to beyond what u can play currently....n then come back down)....n then i tried at 100% n i felt as though the song itself had slowed down....lol....
    n yeah creeping death rhythm was wicked...now i have that down as well....

    tirtha2chester: the rhythm is easier in Tornado of souls alright n was also fun....but the solo man....the last 20 seconds are fvcked up difficult....
     

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